Lactobacillus ReuteriViva Lactobacillus reuteri probiotica! What a bacteria!
No really, it does! Rats have a rat strain and pigs have a pig strain - each animal appears to have its own host-specific strain of L reuteri, and of course, humans have a human strain. This fact that each animal has adapted L reuteri to their own needs shows what an important bacteria for gut microflora this probiotic is. Not everyone has this gutsy little bacteria in their gastrointestinal tract but oral intake with supplements will rapidly colonise our insides although the level will fall again after several months of not taking it.2 The probiotic L reuteri has a great track record against diarrhea. The strain RC14 of L reuteri has a wonderful reputation in woman's health. Now that Stonyfield have stopped adding L reuteri to their yogurt I don't think there is any yogurt in the USA that has it added. Hopefully, they might reconsider and put it back. It is found naturally in many foods, particularly milk and meat products but, of course, unless they start waving little flags above their heads, it is impossible to know when you're eating it and when you're not, or indeed which strain you're eating! In one Canadian experiment L reuteri was added to dry fermented sausages to see if it was possible to formulate "fermented meat products with viable health-promoting bacteria". The probiotic bacteria were still viable at the end of the processing3 so all you Canadians can start searching your delicatessen for these probiotic bangers! Lactobacillus reuteri produces an antibiotic type substance called Reuterin that is capable of destroying pathogenic bacteria, yeasts, fungi and protozoas.4 No wonder it's such hot stuff on women's urogential complaints! Scientist say that it isn't clear whether it is the effect of Reuterin that makes L reuteri so useful or not, although it seems obvious to me that all that pathogen destroying ability must be having some impact. 1. Mitsuoka T. The human gastrointestinal tract. In: Wood BJB, ed. The lactic acid bacteria. v 1 The lactic acid bacteria in health and disease. New York. Elsevier Applied Science, 1992: 69-114 2. Wolf BW, Garleb KA, Ataya DG, Casas IA. Safety and tolerance of Lactobacillus reuteri in healthy adult male subjects. Microbial Ecol health Dis 1995; 8: 41-50 3. Muthukumarasamy P, Holley RA. Microbiological and sensory quality of dry fermented sausages containing alginate-microencapsulated Lactobacillus reuteri. International Journal of Food Microbiology. volume 111, issue 2, 1 Sept 2006 pages 164-169 4. Talarico TL, Dobrogosz WJ. Chemical characterization of an antimicrobial substance produced by Lactobacillus reuteri. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1989 May;33(5):674-9 TOP of Lactobacillus Reuteri
|
L reuteri is a species of probiotic bacteria that naturally lives in the human gut as well as the gut of many mammals and birds. And because it occurs naturally in the human intestine it is one of the few Lactobacillus species that is specifically adapted to survive in the gastrointestinal tract. This probiotic bacteria laughs at acidic gastric juice and bile salts.
